Wells are constructed to access subsurface water for various purposes, such as for drinking and irrigation. Electric well pumps (“well pumps”) are utilized to pump subsurface water up to the surface. Typical well configurations include a well casing that extends from the ground surface (which includes points above the ground surface) to a point below the subsurface water, with a well pump being disposed within the casing. Typical structure connected to such pumps and extending to the ground surface include a water pipe, which often includes multiple connected segments, for carrying the subsurface water, and electrical wiring for providing electrical current to such pumps.
A well pump can fail for various reasons. Therefore, well pumps can require replacement, which requires a failed well pump to be extracted from within a well.
A prior solution is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,525 by Smedley (“Smedley”), which discloses a well puller that pulls a well pump via a permanent high-tensile strength cable. As disclosed, this solution includes a well application that necessarily requires the addition of a permanent high-tensile strength lifting cable, and expressly teaches away from pulling a plastic water pipe, as “it lacks the strength to sustain the tensile forces resulting when the pump and seal are pulled from the well.” A significant drawback with the Smedley solution is that prior provisioning of such a permanent high-tensile strength lifting cable is required for this solution to be effectuated.
Another prior solution is the “Pull-a-Pump”, which is a well pump puller having motorized means that can extract a well pump by pulling a water pipe connected to a pump. Specifically, this solution includes a pair of motorized, opposing traction belts between which a well pipe is gripped and moved upwardly. As the belts move, the pipe and pump are lifted from within a well casing.